an artist as an operator of signs:

our project sheet said that art is an activity consisting in producing relationships with the world with the help of signs, forms, actions, and objects.

my project will focus on how i and others my age especially respond to a question,

my question is: what are you searching for?

what are we all looking for? as we enter college? as we enter the real world? we all want to be happy, we all want to be healthy, we all want to learn, and we all want to have fun.

my idea came from my last post as i was watching videos- and i was reflecting on all the "to do" lists in my head.

i usually make to do lists, but sometimes i make lists about stuff that i want to do, or things i want to achieve- sort of like a bucket list- but things that i think will make me happier. for example, my to do list says do wift homework, but my other list could say travel the world before i turn 21, or run a half-marathon next semester. In my project, i will create a series of 3 images based on this idea- what do we all want out of life? what are we searching for that we think will make us happier?

the first image: money, career, fame, success, glitter, attention, celebrity, competition, winner.

this is sort of the instant gratification, "what will make me happy right now" idea, and working towards society's view of success.

the second image: happiness, contentment, companionship, security.

this is the more grounded panel, sort of like what our parents strive for, i think these types of goals come with age and experience, and weariness with what is shown in the first panel. this panel is all about making yourself happy, and achieving lasting success on your own level.

the third image: on a deeper level, some people only want food. for some, it is only a new pair of shoes, or a new book, or the chance to receive an education that will make them happy.

the things that we take for granted are all some people hope for- this will be my third panel, a representation of all we take for granted, and forget that we want. maybe we shouldn't even be thinking about what makes us happy? maybe that's the most selfish thing we could possibly do, and we should be putting others, like those less fortunate than us in front of us all the time?

i will reflect on these questions when i am creating the images, and maybe i'll have an answer by the end. is making a "to do list" about things you want to accomplish, and what you think will make you a happier person even a healthy activity?